The Effect of Work Engagement on Organizational Climate and Job Satisfaction in Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

The concept that work engagement facilitates the organizational climate is well-received, yet it has not been widely tested in nonprofit organizations. This study adopted the three-dimensional model of work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption) proposed by Salanova and colleagues (2005) to investigate the relationship between work engagement and job satisfaction mediating by the organizational climate in nonprofit organizations, i.e., educational institutions. This study surveyed and collected data from 99 workers of nonprofit organizations. The effect of work engagement and organizational climate was explored. Furthermore, the mediating effect of organizational climate and job satisfaction was also examined. This study employed a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The statistical analysis indicated that 66 percent variance of the organizational climate could potentially be explained by job satisfaction. Three dimensions, namely vigor, dedication, and absorption were positively related and significant to the organizational climate. However, the results showed the mediating role of organizational climate in the prediction of job satisfaction and work engagement of nonprofit workers. The findings were dissimilar from previous studies. These results shed new insights on work engagement and organizational climate in the context of nonprofit organizations. Implications of the study are discussed, together with limitations and suggestions for future research.